Wall mounted simulated christmas tree



April 3, 1962 E. E. DUVALL WALL MOUNTED SIMULATED CHRISTMAS TREE Filed Dec. 16, 1959 INVENTOR ELMER E. Dill/ALL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,027,671 WALL MOUNTED SEMULATED CHRISTMAS TREE Elmer E. Duvall, The Westchester, Apt. 7553, Washington, D.C. Filed Dec. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 860,003 2 Claims. (Cl. 41-15) This invention relates to ornamental, simulated Christmas trees and consists more particularly in new and useful rmprovements in a wall supported ornamental tree adapted to present the appearance of a half-tree in high relief, when assembled and suspended on a wall or other vertical surface.

An object of the invention is to provide a simulated Christmas tree of this nature which is primarily designed for use in quarters having limited floor space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knockdown simulated Christmas tree which may be easily assembled and mounted on a wall or the like for decoration with conventional Christmas tree ornaments, and after the Christmas season has passed, can be readily demounted, knocked down and stored for the following year.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tree which in addition to conserving space, may be mounted on a wall out of reach of small children and household pets, and which eliminates the cleaning problem caused by the falling needles, etc. of conventional natural Christmas trees.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simulated Christmas tree which is simple in construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and one which may be formed of a variety of sheet materials including sheets of suitable plastic, metal and other non-inflammable materials, thus providing an added safety advantage.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view of an assembled tree in front elevation;

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing the vertical trunk member and a dismounted vane or branch member, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the assembled tree partially broken away.

In the drawings, 4 represents an upright support or trunk member which is preferably formed of relatively thin sheet material such as metal or plastic, presenting a semi-cylindrical front face 5 with its rear edges extended in parallel relation to provide abutment legs 6 for engagement with a wall or other vertical supporting surface 7. Any suitable means may be employed for sus pending the trunk or support 4- on a wall, such for example as a transverse bracket 8 welded or otherwise se cured between adjacent legs 6 and including an apertured hanging ear 9 for engagement with a nail or hook 10 inserted in the wall 7.

The forward face 5 of the trunk or support member 4 is provided with two or more sets of radially spaced slots 11 and 12, adapted to receive suitably located hook devices carried by the vanes or branch members of the tree, as will later appear.

As seen in FIG. 2, each of the branch members or vanes 13 comprises a flat, relatively stiff sheet of plastic, metal, cardboard or other suitable material capable of being stamped to provide the desired shape. Preferably, the stamped vanes include an upright strip 14 having laterally ofiset branch portions 15, 16 and 17, of progressively increased dimensions from top to bottom. The respective "ice branch portions are shaped to generally simulate the outstretched branches of a Christmas tree and preferably terminate at their outer extremities in slightly upturned ends 18 to facilitate the application of tinsel and hanging ornaments as will later appear. Also, each of the branch members is preferably provided with a cut-out portion 19 and a series of apertures 20 to further facilitate the ornamentation of the assembled tree.

The upright strip 14 of each vane terminates at its upper extremity in a fin 21 having a pointed top 22, the forward arcuate edge of which merges with the corresponding edge of the upper branch portion 15. The opposite edge of the fin 21 is rearwardly offset with respect to the edge of the upright strip 14 and its lower extremity is cut to form a downwardly directed upper hook member 23 for engagement with one of the upper slot members 11 on the trunk or support member 4. When assembled, these pointed fins extend above and overlie the upper end of the trunk member 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Intermediate the hook member 23 and the lower end of the strip 14, a second hook member 24 is provided for engagement with one of the lower slots 12 of the trunk member 4.

Preferably, the upper slots 11 are open at the top of the curved support face 5, while the lower slots 12 are closed and of course, the vertical spacing of the slots 11 and 12 corresponds with that of the hook members 23 and 24- respectively, so that the latter may be inserted in the proper slots to lock the vanes in place on the trunk member,

It will be apparent that as many vanes as desired may be mounted on the trunk member 4, depending upon the preferred density of the assembled tree. When all of the vanes are in place on the trunk as shown in FIG. 1, the overlying fins 21 of the respective vanes converge and contact one another at their inner edges so that the points 22 thereon, collectively provide a pointed tree top adapted to accommodate a conventional tree top ornament such as 2 5, and the various branch portions 15, 1d and 17 radiate from the axis of the trunk member 4. With the tree thus assembled, and mounted on a wall, it will be seen from FIG. 3 that the rearwardly projecting legs 6 of the trunk member 4 abut the wall 7 and maintain the rearrnost vane members 13 in forwardly oifset position with respect to the wall, it being understood that the rearmost slots 11 and 12 are spaced sufiiciently forward of the rear extremities of the legs 6 to insure this ofiset relationship. It will be apparent that the offset relationship of the rearrnost vane members provides sufficient clearance between the vane members and the wall to facilitate the application of tree ornaments without wall interference.

Thus, the assembly presents the appearance of a half tree in high relief and may be artistically trimmed as desired, with conventional Christmas tree ornaments and tinsel.

An important feature of the invention lies in the ease with which it can be assembled and disassembled, and the fact that it can readily be compactly packaged for shipment and storage.

It will also be apparent that a variety of materials and colors may be employed in the manufactureof the component parts of the tree. For example, the vanes or branch members 13 may be formed of green plastic to more closely simulate a natural evergreen tree or they may be formed of white plastic or even clear transparent plastic, depending on the taste of the purchaser. Regardless of the materials used, a simulated tree formed in accordance with my invention is adaptable for a wide variety of decorating techniques.

From the foregoing, it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A wall mounted, simulated half Christmas tree adapted to present the appearance of a tree in high relief, comprising a central support member, a series of radially disposed slots in said support member, a series of vertical vanes of sheet material, each shaped in profile to simulate tree branch portions of progressively increased dimensions from top to bottom, each branch portion having a row of spaced apertures and at least one cut-out area to facilitate ornamentation, means on respective vanes coacting with said slots for individually and detachably securing said vanes to said support member in radially spaced, diverging relation to one another, a projecting wall abutment formed on said central support member, rearwardly offset with respect to the rearmost of said vanes for forwardly spacing the latter from a wall, whereby said rearmost vanes may be decorated with tree ornaments Without wall interference, and means on said abutment for mounting the assembled tree on a wall or the like.

2. A simulated half Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central support member is provided with a semi-cylindrical front face, the rear portion of said support member, opposite said semi-cylindrical front face, being extended to form said rearwardly offset wall abutment. 

